Fire arms



March 1963 H. KLOSTERMANN ETAL 3,081,

FIRE ARMS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 27, 1961 Helmui Klosiermcmn 8 Paul Beermcmn March 19, 1963 H. KLOSTERMANN EI'AL 3,081,702

FIRE ARMS Filed Feb. 27, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS Helmut Klostermann a ATTORNEY Paul Beermcmn FIG.5

FiG.4.

United States Patent Ofitice 3,681,702 Patented Mar. 19, 1963 3,081,702 F ARMS Helmut Klostermann and Paul Beermann, Mendcn,

Sauerland, Germany, assignors to Firma Richard Rinker, Menden, Sauerland, Germany Filed Feb. 27, 1961, Ser. No. 91,804 Claims priority, application Germany Feb. 26, 1960 22 Claims. (Cl. 102-37.6)

The present invention relates to fire arms, including detonators therefor, for firing a charge.

Existing fire arms for firing charges include a firing mechanism which is similar to that of rifles or pistols. Such firing mechanisms all have the disadvantage that they are complicated, difiicult to manufacture, and relatively expensive.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a fire arm capable of firing charges, which fire arm is simple and adapted to be mass-produced easily at low cost, and which is very reliable in that it is so made that there is no danger of it going off accidentally.

With the above objects in view, the present invention resides in a detonator for use with a fire arm, which detonator comprises, basically, a housing, a mounting element arranged in the housing and adapted to support at one end a percussion cap, a firing pin arranged in the mounting element and movable therein between a cocked position spaced from a percussion cap held by the mounting element and a released position wherein the firing pin strikes the percussion cap, this firing pin having near one end thereof a reduced portion and an end portion having a cross section larger than that of the reduced portion, spring means continually urging the firing pin out of the cocked position, a slidably mounted retaining member cooperating with the above-mentioned one end of the firing pin for retaining the latter in its cocked position, this retaining member having an opening composed of a first portion of a size sufficient to allow the end portion of the firing pin to pass therethrough and a second portion of suificient size to accommodate the reduced portion of the firing pin but of insufiicient size to allow the passage of the end portion of the firing pin, this slide member being movable between a retaining position wherein the reduced portion of the firing pin is received within the second portion of the opening, thereby retaining the firing pin in its cocked position, and a firing position wherein the first portion of the opening is in alignment with the end portion of the firing pin, thereby permitting the latter to move to its released position under the influence of the spring means, and a safety device cooperating with the slide member for preventing unintentional movement thereof from its retaining position to its firing position.

The present invention further resides in a fire arm which incorporates a detonator as described above, as well as a firing t-ube attached to the mounting element, the firing tube being adapted to contain a charge or cartridge to be detonated by the detonator mechanism.

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view of a detonator according to the present invention.

' FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the detonator shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view showing a modified embodiment of a detonator according to the present invention.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of a fire arm according to the present invention, the same including a detonator of the type shown in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view of another embodiment of a fire arm according to the present invention, the same also including a detonator of the type shown in FIG- URE 3.

Referring now to the drawings, and to FIGURES 1 and 2 thereof in particular, there is shown a detonator comprising a cup-shaped housing 1 made, for example, of drawn sheet metal and formed with inwardly extending corrugations or beads 2 which fix the positions of two transverse support plates 3. The latter support a mounting tube 4 carrying a firing pin 5 encompassed by a firing pin spring 6, as well as a carrier 7 which carries a primer or percussion cap 8. One end of the firing pin 5 is provided with an annular groove 9 and, in the cocked position of the firing pin, is detachably connected with a slide member 11 having a handle 11a. The member 11 is slidably arranged between one end face of the mounting tube 4 and an end plate 10, and is provided with a generally keyhole-shaped opening 13 having a narrowed portion 12, it being within this narrowed portion 12 that a reduced neck portion 9a formed by the groove 9 is located, thus holding the firing pin 5 in its cocked position. If the slide member 11 is then moved leftwardly, as viewed in FIGURE 1, the spring 6 will cause the firing pin to move downwardly, this movement being made possible as soon as the enlarged portion of the opening 13 comes into alignment with the full-sized upper end portion 9b of the firing pin 5. The firing pin 5 will then strike the percussion cap 8, thereby detonating the charge.

The safety mechanism for preventing the inadvertent release of the firing pin comprises a leaf spring 14 which is rotatably mounted on the end plate It} by means of a rivet 15. The spring 14 has a downwardly depending end portion 16 which extends through an opening 17 of the slide member 11 and thus prevents the latter from being displaced. The leaf spring 14 is provided with a handle constituted by a wire ring 18 which passes through a tongue 19 integral with and bent out of the plane of the leaf spring 14 and which ring is detacha-bly connected to an overlying end 20 of the leaf spring. In order to facilitate grasping of the ring, the latter has a portion 21 which is bent out of the plane of the ring 18 and is looped, as is best seen in FIGURE 1. The end plate 10 is formed with inwardly extending elongated ridges 22 which form guides between which the member 11 may slide. Also, the end plate 10 is pressed outwardly in the region of the firing pin 5 and the rivet 15.

The lower end of the mounting tube 4 extends out of the housing 1 and is provided with an external thread 23 which may receive a cartridge. This cartridge is not shown in FIGURES l and 2; instead, the threaded end of the mounting tube 4 carries a seal 24 as well as a parafiin-lined protective cap 25. It will be appreciated that instead of providing the mounting tube 4 with an external thread, such thread may be applied to the housing 1 which is then threaded directly to the cartridge or the like. Also, instead of a threaded connection, a bayonet-type coupling may be provided. Moreover, all openings of the housing 1 will be sealed by an appropriate substance, as, for example, paraflin, so as to make the housing fluid-tight during transport of the detonator.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a modified embodiment of a detonator in which the safety mechanism for preventing inadvertent release of the firing pin 5 comprises a sector-shaped member 27 having two handles 26, which member is pivotably mounted at the center of the end plate It). This member 27 is provided with two spaced-apart abutments 28 arranged on opposite sides of the slide member 11 which, as explained above,

retains the firing pin 5 (not shown in FIGURE 3) in cocked position. These abutments, which are spaced from each other a distance greater than the width of the slide member 11, limit the pivotal movement of the member 27, and one of the abutments will, in the locking position, engage the underside of the widened handle portion 11b of the member 11, thus preventing movement of the latter.

The safety mechanism further includes a spring-biased pin or lug 29 for preventing the inadvertent disengagement of the abutments 28. This pin or lug 2.9 has to be depressed before making it possible for the member 27 to be pivoted, in the direction of the arrow 51, into a position in which it will free the slide member 11.

Either of the above-described detonators may be massproduced at low cost, experience having shown that this is possible at approximately half the cost of heretofore known detonators. At the same time, a device according to the present invention is very reliable in that as long as the safety mechanism is engaged, there is no danger of inadvertently releasing the firing pin. Consequently, the detonator may be safely carried in a pocket of ordinary clothing, it being unnecessary to provide special safety containers. Moreover, it will be'appreciated that even though the safety mechanism is very reliable, it can be moved rapidly to a position in which the detonator is ready to be actuated. Furthermore, even if the safety mechanism has been released in order to ready the detonator for firing, it is a simple matter to re-engage the safety mechanism. Additionally, it has been found that the detonator can be made very small; in practice, it may have a diameter as small as 37 millimeters and a height as low as 32 millimeters. Also, the structure is such that it is operative irrespective of its attitude.

FIGURE 4 shows a detonator incorporating the safety mechanism of FIGURE 3 in combination with a barrel or firing tube 30 constituted, for example, by a drawn, seamless steel tube. The side of the tube 30 which faces the detonator housing 1 is closed by a ring 31 suitably attached to the tube 30, as, for example, by inwardly directed beads 2'. The ring 31 has an internal thread 32 which joins a propellant tube 33 adapted to receive the propellant charge 34. The propellant tube 33 has an internal thread 35 which is screwed onto the external thread of the mounting tube 4. Next to the propellant charge 34 is a detonator charge 37 which is surrounded by a sheet metal sheath 37a and which is formed with an axial passage 36 lined by a stepped tube 37b. The latter has arranged within it a delay composition or pellet 38 and a detonator capsule 39, the free upper end of the tube 37a being closed off by a screw 40 having a knurled head portion. Sealing discs 41 and 42 are provided for preventing the entry of moisture, thereby insuring the operability of the detonator charge. An additional sealing disc 43 is arranged between the ring 31 and the detonator housing 1.

The firing tube 30 is encased within a hand-protective knurled or otherwise profiled sheath 44 made of rubber or other suitable material, the ends of this sheath abutting the sealing disc 43 and a beaded over or flanged end 45 of the tube 30. Alternatively, the sheath may be held in place by gluing or pressing it onto the tube 30, or by spraying a suitable substance right onto the tube.

The combination shown in FIGURE 5 differs from that shown in FIGURE 4 in that the firing tube contains a flare or tracer composition 46' instead of a detonator charge. The tube 30 contains a cup-shaped container 47 which has been pushed into the tube and which contains a propellant charge 34 capable of being detonated by the percussion cap 8, the bottom of the container 47 being perforated at 47a. Here, too, there is a delay pellet 38' which ultimately ignites the flare or tracer composition 46 which is arranged in another capsule 43 having perforated ends, suitable spacer discs 49, made of cork or felt, being provided as shown in FIGURE 5.

The free end of the firing tube 30 is closed off by pressed-in sealing discs 41 and 42, as well as by a plastic cap 50 which is pressed into the mouth of the tube. The sheath 44 and/or the detonator housing 1 may be colorcoded to indicate the color of the composition 46, as, for example, by means of a stripe of the appropriate color. This stripe may be applied with luminous paint; if the composition 46 is a two-color flare, one of the two colors may be applied to the sheath 44 and the other to the detonator housing 1.

By virtue of the above-described sheath 44, it is easy to aim the charge in the flash tube; if the charge is an explosive one and the item is used as a weapon, the charge can be fired from cover without it being necessary for the user to expose himself, since all he has to do is to release the safety mechanism and to push the slide member 11. Furthermore, the accuracy with which the charge may be aimed is substantially greater than that with which a conventional hand grenade can be thrown. Here, too, by using a delay pellet having a time delay corresponding to the time of flight of the explosive charge, the charge may be caused to explode when it strikes its target, thereby making it impossible for the missile to be thrown back, as may be the case with conventional hand grenades which are thrown prematurely. It will be noted that no impact percussion cap is required, thereby further reducing the costs of the item.

It has been found, in practice, that the detonator and firing tube are completely waterproof, and are fully operative at temperatures of between '43 C. and +50 C.

It will be understood that the above description of the present invention is susceptible to various modifications, changes and adaptations, and the same are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the appended claims. For instance, the above described explosive charge or flare-type composition can be replaced by other types of charges, such as a fog-generating compound.

We claim:

1. A detonator mechanism comprising, in combination: a generally rigid and cup-shaped housing; two spaced transverse support members arranged 'Within said housing; a tubular mounting element arranged in said housing and supported by said support members; a percussion cap arranged at one end of said mounting element; a firing pin arranged in said mounting element and movable therein between a cocked position spaced from said percussion cap and a released position wherein said firing pin strikes said percussion cap, said firing pin having near one end thereof a reduced portion and an end portion of a cross section larger than said reduced portion; spring means continually urging said firing pin out of its cocked position; a slidably mounted retaining member cooperating with said one end of said firing pin for retaining the latter in its cocked position, said retaining member having a generally key-hole-shaped opening composed of an enlarged portion of a. size sufficient to allow said end portion of said firing pin to pass therethrough and a narrowed portion of sufficient width to accommodate said reduced portion of said firing pin but of insuflicient width to allow the passage of said end portion of said firing pin, said slide member having a portion extending exteriorly of said housing and being movable relative thereto between a retaining position wherein said reduced portion of said firing pin is received within said narrowed portion of said opening, thereby retaining said firing pin in its cocked position, and a firing position wherein said enlarged portion of said opening is in alignment with said end portion of said firing pin, thereby permitting the latter to move to its released position under the influence of said spring means; and a safety device cooperating with said slide member for preventing unintentional movement thereof from its retaining position to its firing position.

2. A detonator mechansm as defined in claim 1 wherein said transverse support members are crimped to said housing.

3. A detonator mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said one end of said tubular mounting element projects from said housing.

4. A detonator mechanism as defined in claim 3 wherein said projecting end of said tubular mounting element is threaded, thereby being adapted to receive a firing tube or the like to be associated with said detonator mechanism.

5 A detonator mechanism as defined in claim 4 wherein said thread is an external thread.

6-. A detonator mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said slide member is arranged between the bottom of said cup-shaped housing and the opposite end of said tubular mounting element.

7. A detonator mechanism as defined in claim 6 wherein said bottom of said housing is formed with inwardly extending elongated ridges for guiding said slide member for movement.

8. A detonator mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said slide member has a substantially rectangular cross section and a handle portion which is parallel to the axis of said cup-shaped housing.

9. A detonator mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said safety device comprises a leaf spring which is mounted on said housing and which has a portion normally received within an opening of said slide member.

10. A detonator mechanism as defined in claim 9 wherein said leaf spring is pivotally mounted on said housing.

11. A detonator mechanism as defined in claim 9 wherein said safety device further comprises manually operable releasing means.

12. A detonator mechanism as defined in claim 11 wherein said releasing means comprise a ring passing through a tongue of said leaf spring and detachably connected to an overlying end of said leaf spring.

13. A detonator mechanism as defined in claim 12 wherein said ring has a looped portion bent out of the plane of said ring.

14. A detonator mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein said safety device comprises a pivotable sectorshaped member provided with two spaced-apart abutments arranged on opposite sides of said slide member, said sector-shaped member being pivotable between a locking position in which one of said abutments engages the underside of a widened handle portion of said slide member, thereby preventing movement of said handle portion out of its retaining position, and an unlocked position in which said handle portion of said slide member is free to pass between said spaced-apart abutments.

15. A fire arm, comprising, in combination: a generally rigid and cup-shaped housing; two spaced transverse support members arranged within said housing; a tubular mounting element arranged in said housing and supported by said support members; a percussion cap arranged at one end of said mounting element; a firing pin arranged in said mounting element and movable therein between a cocked position spaced from said percussion cap and a released position wherein said firing pin strikes said percussion cap, said firing pin having near one end thereof a reduced portion and an end portion of a cross section larger than said reduced portion; spring means continually urging said firing pin out of its cocked position; a slidably mounted retaining member cooperating with said one end of said firing pin for retaining the latter in its cocked position, said retaining member having a generally key-hole-shaped opening composed of an enlarged portion of a size sufficient to allow said end portion of said firing pin to pass therethrough and a narrowed portion of sufficient width to accommodate said reduced portion of said firing pin but of insufiicient width to allow the passage of said end portion of said firing pin, said slide member having a portion extending exteriorly of said housing and being movable relative thereto between a retaining position wherein said reduced portion of said firing pin is received within said narrowed portion of said opening, thereby retaining said firing pin in its cocked position, and a firing position wherein said enlarged portion of said opening is in alignment with said end portion of said firing pin, thereby permitting the latter to move to its released position under the influence of said spring means; a safety device cooperating with said slide member for preventing unintentional movement thereof from its retaining position to its firing position; a firing tube connected to said tubular mounting clement, said firing tube containing a propellant charge adapted to be ignited by said percussion cap; a delay capsule adapted to be ignited by said propellant charge; and a further charge adapted to be ignited by said delay capsule.

16. A fire arm as defined in claim 15 wherein said further charge is an explosive charge.

17. A fire arm as defined in claim 15 wherein said further charge is a flare-type composition.

18. A fire arm as defined in claim 17, further comprising color coding means for indicating the color of the flare-type composition.

19. A fire arm as defined in claim 15 wherein said firing tube further contains a ring secured to one end of said firing tube; a propellant tube containing said propellant charge and connected to said ring, said propellant tube being threaded onto said mounting element; a sheath containing said further charge, the latter having an axial bore lined with a stepped tube and said delay capsule being arranged within said stepped tube; a detonator charge also arranged within said stepped tube; a screw closing off the open end of said stepped tube; and sealing discs closing off the other end of said firing tube.

20. A fire arm as defined in claim 15 wherein said firing tube further contains a cup-shaped container adapted to hold said propellant charge, the bottom of said container being perforated; a capsule perforated at its ends and adapted to hold said further charge; spacer means arranged between said charges; and sealing and closure means for closing the open end of said firing tube.

21. A fire arm as defined in claim 15 wherein said firing tube is encompassed by a protective sheath.

22. A fire arm as defined in claim 21 wherein said protective sheath is profiled and is held in place between said detonator housing and a flanged end of said firing tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,682,560 Gruber Aug. 28, 1928 2,720,835 Houston et al Oct. 18, 1955 2,785,632 Clauser et al Mar. 19, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 79,379 Austria Dec. 10, 1919 

15. A FIRE ARM, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: A GENERALLY RIGID AND CUP-SHAPED HOUSING; TWO SPACED TRANSVERSE SUPPORT MEMBERS ARRANGED WITHIN SAID HOUSING; A TUBULAR MOUNTING ELEMENT ARRANGED IN SAID HOUSING AND SUPPORTED BY SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS; A PERCUSSION CAP ARRANGED AT ONE END OF SAID MOUNTING ELEMENT; A FIRING PIN ARRANGED IN SAID MOUNTING ELEMENT AND MOVABLE THEREIN BETWEEN A COCKED POSITION SPACED FROM SAID PERCUSSION CAP AND A RELEASED POSITION WHEREIN SAID FIRING PIN STRIKES SAID PERCUSSION CAP, SAID FIRING PIN HAVING NEAR ONE END THEREOF A REDUCED PORTION AND AN END PORTION OF A CROSS SECTION LARGER THAN SAID REDUCED PORTION; SPRING MEANS CONTINUALLY URGING SAID FIRING PIN OUT OF ITS COCKED POSITION; A SLIDABLY MOUNTED RETAINING MEMBER COOPERATING WITH SAID ONE OF SAID FIRING PIN FOR RETAINING THE LATTER IN ITS COCKED POSITION, SAID RETAINING MEMBER HAVING A GENERALLY KEY-HOLE-SHAPED OPENING COMPOSED OF AN ENLARGED PORTION OF A SIZE SUFFICIENT TO ALLOW SAID END PORTION OF SAID FIRING PIN TO PASS THERETHROUGH AND A NARROWED PORTION OF SUFFICIENT WIDTH TO ACCOMODATE SAID REDUCED PORTION OF SAID FIRING PIN BUT OF INSUFFICIENT WIDTH TO ALLOW THE PASSAGE OF SAID END PORTION OF SAID FIRING PIN, SAID 